Page 6 of No Darker Temptation

“I didn’t let her do anything, Abuelo. I honored my word and sent her home.” The sink drains and I grab a towel to dry my hands. “She didn’t belong here.”

“Hmph.” He cocks his head, his blue eyes skeptical. “You’re doing such a good job of convincing me.”

“I don’t need to convince anyone. It’s the truth.” I walk past him. “I’m going to bed.”

“Tomorrow morning, I want you in my office. Preferably not covered in blood.”

I ignore him because if I don’t, that famous Narvaez temper will rear its ugly head. And then we’ll end up killing each other.

COUSIN OF THE BRIDE

Dahlia

New York City

My vibrator dies right before I reach climax.

Just. My. Luck.

I could’ve sworn I charged it last night but maybe I’m remembering wrong. Either that or I’ve been using it more than usual. Probably some combination of both because I’m stressed out, sexually frustrated, and lonely, the permanent condition of most women in their early twenties. There’s no use in putting it to charge and hoping I can pick up where I left off. The high already fizzled out and I need to get ready for class soon.

Irritated, I roll over in bed and bury my face under my pillow for a few minutes before my alarm goes off again. I grab it from the nightstand to turn it off and almost put it back but hesitate. After unlocking it, I go through my photo albums for a few minutes to find the one I keep password protected and enter the four-digit code. As soon as it unlocks, I scroll past scenic views of the Mediterranean and stunning shots of the Spanish countryside in search of the photos I’m really looking for.

Do I or do I not go back with Alejandro at the end of this year? The decision is dependent on how my life does (or doesn’t) fall into place after the whirlwind summer we spent together.

For one, what happens to my education?? I showed up two weeks after the fall semester started and I’m lucky the school didn’t penalize me for it. Once I made up some bogus story about a distant aunt dying in Spain and spent the entire month of September wearing black to class to pretend I was in mourning, I was able to pull it off. I used to be excited for my graduate program but now I feel like I’m going through the motions.

And then there’s Karina’s wedding. God, I wish I could get out of it but she’ll murder me if I try.

I stare at the photo of Alejandro and me a little while longer, wondering if it’s really love I feel or something else. If it’s love, then I want to be with him but what if it isn’t? And if it isn’t love then what is it—lust, wonder, adventure? I still haven’t figured out what my feelings for him and his life in Spain are yet.

All I know is I’ve felt like shit from the moment I landed in New York. I don’t know if I’ll last until December.

I dial his number without thinking. Seconds before the ringing on the other line stops and I think he’ll miss my call, I hear his voice on the other line.

“Dahlia.”

He says my name and I feel it all over my body.

“I feel like shit.”

“It’s not even seven o’clock in the morning over there and you already feel like shit?”

“My vibrator died before I could finish.”

A beat passes. “I can’t talk you through it right now.”

“Why not?”

“I could,” he amends, humor leaking into the edges of his voice. “But I don’t think you’d appreciate an audience.”

I hear something slam in the background.

“That’s disgusting.” Lettie’s voice echoes from across the room. “I’m leaving.”

A second later a door closes and Alejandro chuckles through the phone. There’s a bit of shuffling and the creaking of a noisy chair.

“Do you have class today?” he asks.